Swords In the modern world it is not common (at least not where I live) to encounter someone armed with a sword. This is a thankful state of affairs! However through historic tradition jitsuka are trained in the very basics of sword techniques or Ken Waza. What is a sword? A sword is a weapon that is usually made of metal. It has a 'long' blade and a hilt - usually separated by a hilt. Swords are used in a variety of attacking styles, thrusting, slashing and even bludgeoning. A little history The Japanese are recognised as the first people to create truly sharp swords. Before this swords were rarely able to slice into people rather they were used to bludgeon an opponent into unconsciousness and the sword could then be used to cleave and stab. However the folding of steel and other metals led to stronger swords that retained their sharpness for more than a few blows. It was these swords that the samurai used in their battles and it is these swords that are used in jiu jitsu. The art of using a sword is an entire martial art (or several) in it's own right. The art of the sword is not one where the blade is swashbuckled around or fenced - at least not with the sword of the samurai, the Katana. Ken Do (the way of the sword) is the most famous practice of Japanese sword work, but there are many other arts of the sword to learn. The art of Iai Do for example focuses solely on the art of drawing the sword from it's sheath, whereas Tameshi Giri concentrates on the art of actually cutting with a sword. Why train with swords? In jiu jitsu as with most of the gentle art, only the surface of a set of techniques is touched upon. There is always a life time of study to be spent on each technique. Judoka for instance often spend their entire lives perfecting a single throw. Jiu jitsu aims for an all round coverage of techniques so that no matter what the situation the jitsuka can react appropriately. Therefore whilst there is so much to learn about the sword, jitsu provides some knowledge about swords. After all perfecting a throw such as koshi guruma may not be as helpful against a sword as gaining a competency in a much larger range of throws. The Katana The katana is a versatile sword and is only one of several types of Japanese sword, but it was the preferred sword of most samurai. The katana is a fairly long sword normally used two handed, but light enough to be wielded one handed when required. Katana vary in quality and in price as well as their particular style. Many katana posess ornately carved hilts with dragon heads or gold wire handle. Scabbards are also frequently etched and embossed in a Japanese style. Most of these artistic designs are for ornamental katana which are ineffective in combat, but there do exist some which are not. therefore on the mat do not be complacent in thinking that a katana is not 'real', no matter how it looks. It may well be sharper than you think. It was not an infrequent occurrence for the Samurai to carry a katana and a wakizashi (see below) into battle, one sword in each hand and fight with both at once. The smaller wakizashi made a good weapon for the off hand, and such a combination was referred to as diasho meaning the long and the short. The katana in the correct hands is a deadly weapon. In the wrong hands it a deadly liability to the person who is attempting to wield it. It is normal practice however to train (at least initially) with a bokken (see below) and then move on to a katana that has been purposefully blunted. Even blunted katanas are dangerous. They won't pierce the skin whne pressed gently to it, but they will cut if force is applied. More senior grades (purple onwards) typically spend time learning how to strike effectively with katana. This then allows them to train safely with one another in practicing defences against attacks with a katana. The Wakizashi
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